DBWI: Best & Worst Songs from James Bond Movies

I recently saw Skyfall and Bond definitely kicked ass. And the theme song was awesome. That got me thinking of the theme songs from the James Bond movies.

Since some of the threads discuss cultural events, I thought this might be a good place to discuss which songs were the best and worst of the bunch. In my opinion:

Best Song
"Skyfall" sung by Spice (title track from the movie)

The Spice Girls have come a long way since their first hit record in 1996. Undoubtedly, they were burnt out a few years later an boy/girl band music wore out its welcome. After taking several years off to pursue solo projects and starting families, they reunited and removed the "Girls" from their name to cater to an adult audience including their once pre-teen fans who have grown up. Victoria Beckham and Geri Halliwell were the perfect voices to share lead vocals. I must admit underestimating Beckham's vocal talents considering that she could not sell records outside the band. The fact that this record went multi-platinum in several countries is evidence that this is the best song from a James Bond movie.

Worst Song
"You Know My Name" sung by Rush (from the movie Casino Royale, 2006)

Despite their incredible career as a progressive rock band, Geddy Lee's voice is incompatible with a James Bond movie song. This is one of the rare Rush songs not written by Neal Peart, and it shows. And I would not want Rod Stewart to sing Tom Sawyer either.
 
Man With The Golden Gun by Alice Cooper (From The Man With The Golden Gun)

Strangely, this song worked! It had all the ingredients for a perfect Alice Cooper song... yet it fitted in perfectly with the film. Personally, I think it was the best choice. WAY better than that Lulu song.
 

Stolengood

Banned
Really? Here's my list:

Best Song
"Moonraker", by the Beach Boys; music by Brian Wilson and John Barry, lyrics by Van Dyke Parks

I mean, how do you top this? It's clearly the best one to go with its title sequence, combined with being the theme to Connery's final (and, in my opinion) best Bond movie, which in itself is a great smorgasboard of Fleming plots and elements for 1967, but it's just so... amazing. The lyrics might be a little vague, but the sentiment kills me every time; it's a great song, an all-timer, for sure. :)

Worst Song
"For Your Eyes Only", by Johnny Mathis; music by John Barry, lyrics by Don Black

Holy crap, Barry and Mathis must've been having an off-day on this one. That's really all I can say about it. :(
 
Well here's my personal opinion on the matter:


Best Song:

The World is Not Enough - Michael Jackson

It's not everyday that the Title Song to a Bond Movie is better than the Bond Movie itself, but this is one of them. Widely accredited as being the last, truly great song that he ever produced. The lyrics worked. The music video worked. The music itself really worked! Voted the No.1 Bond Theme Song in 2010, just four months prior to his tragic demise.


Worst Song:

Diamonds are Forever - Elton John

Sorry, but it was hideous. Clearly all that Crack was completely doing him in at this point, and it showed. At least he managed to clean up soon after.
 
Best Song:

Licence Revoked - Eric Clapton

Clapton's melancholia, mixed with a guitar version of the James Bond theme, perfectly caught the inner troubles of Sam Neill's 007.

Worst Song:

Quantum of Solace - Amy Winehouse

I know this has been sanctified by Winehouse's tragic demise, but she was clearly drugged by the time she composed this song.
 
Best song:

The Property of a Lady - Nirvana
(1994)
The slow burn build up of this song just fit in perfectly with the dark atmosphere of Timothy Dalton's final Bond movie :)(), and combined with the video everything just clicked. I know that a lot of people say that only reason this song gets so much love is because of people feeling bad for Kurt Cobain because he died just a few days before the movie premiered, but that's just BS in my opinion. This would still definitely be the greatest Bond song no matter if Cobain had died or not.
 
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Worst Bond Song:

"Hit me baby one more time" by Britney Spears
Thank God, Justin Timberlake got to play Bond just this one time after the tragic death of P. Brosnan being hit by a Champagne cork.
The plot of the films is bitarre: Bond is captured early in the film by villain Max Hirnquetscher, an ex-Stasi agent striving for world domination. He is bound to a chair and has his skull beaten harshly, transforming his frontal lobe to pulp (therefore the mentioned theme song was selected). [Just like Craigs balls-smashing-sequence from Casino Royale in OTL]
Bond then goes on a rampage for the rest of the film, killing everyone in sight. The film ends with M gunning him down, saying "Your license to kill has finally been revocked!"
The film attracted lots of sounger viewers into the theatres, who wanted to watch Britney Spears (playing the movie's Bond girl as well, next to being the singer) apparently lose her virginity to Justin Timberlake on camera.

After the horrifying critics, the Bond genre was resetted with R. Williams playing the next Bond.
 
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